Sony Cyber-shot Cameras with Intelligent Auto Technology

Sony Adds Intelligent Auto Technology To Cyber-shot Cameras

Three key technologies make the cameras "smarter"

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 17, 2009 – Sony today announced five new Cyber-shot cameras (models DSC-T900, DSC-T90, DSC-W290, DSC-W230 and DSC-H20) that make it easier to take the best pictures without changing settings. The intelligent auto mode, available on the T900, T90, W290 and H20 models helps “think” for you and detect scene conditions then adjust settings, especially in difficult lighting scenarios.

“This camera provides a seamless experience,” said Karim Noblecilla, senior product marketing manager in Sony Electronics’ Digital Imaging Division. “You can go from a walk in the park to taking pictures of a flower and then back to beautiful landscapes or indoor birthday parties, and the camera will know what to do to get the best shot.”

Sony has combined three key technologies to make these cameras smarter.

Intelligent scene recognition (iSCN) detects up to eight scenes, recognizing objects, faces and lighting conditions (e.g. low light and backlight). Then, in one-thirtieth of a second, it changes the setting to get the best shot. Face detection registers up to eight faces; adjusts focus, exposure, white balance and flash; and detects motion. This intelligent camera combines face detection with iSCN, featuring blink detection. It takes two pictures and saves the one in which the subject’s eyes are the least shut.

The W290 and H20 cameras also have selected-face memory, allowing you to zero in on the main subject’s face. The next time the camera detects the priority face in the frame, it will automatically focus on that person.The W230 model has iSCN that detects up to five scene conditions, face detection with child and adult priority, and the Optical SteadyShot image stabilization feature. You can turn on these features in auto mode to make the W230 camera intelligent.

All of the new cameras have the Optical SteadyShot feature and Smile Shutter technology. The Optical SteadyShot image stabilization feature helps prevent blur due to camera shake without impacting image quality. Equipped with Sony’s Smile Shutter technology, these cameras automatically capture a smile the moment it happens. Another advanced feature that sets these cameras apart from most digital still cameras is iSCN advanced. Noblecilla said the iAuto feature increases the chances of getting a great shot. You can also set up iSCN advanced as a permanent feature. When the scene has difficult lighting such as backlight or low light, the camera will take two shots within a fraction of a second using two alternative settings, so you can select which picture you prefer.

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-R1

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1

A 10.3-megapixel, all-in-one camera with an APS-C-sized image sensor and full-time live preview

By Mike Stensvold

Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-R1 features an electronic eye-level viewfinder like those in high-end compact digital cameras, along with a swiveling/tilting two-inch external LCD monitor that shows the image live, just like the monitors on compact digital cameras. The big news is that this live image is produced by a huge (for an all-in-one camera) APS-C-sized, 10.3-megapixel, Sony-produced CMOS image sensor. This brings together, for the first time, the all-in-one convenience and live-view features of a compact digital camera with the imaging capabilities of a 10.3-megapixel image sensor some 12 times the size of the sensors found in most compact cameras.

It's sure nice to be able to swivel the monitor instead of one's body and neck for odd-angle shots, and to check exposure and approximate dynamic range before making a shot. The R1 can even display a histogram during live preview, on the LCD monitor or in the viewfinder, whichever you're using at the time. And while many SLRs provide depth-of-field previews, they often aren't practical because the stopped-down image is too dark to analyze—not a problem with the R1's Full-Time Live Preview.

Probably the first thing one wonders upon hearing "10.3 megapixels" is "How is the image quality?" My test images were strikingly sharp, with good colors and wide dynamic range. The R1 provides ISO settings from 160 to 3200—much higher than you're likely to find on other all-in-one digital cameras, thanks in part to that large image sensor. As is the case with all digital cameras, noise increases with the ISO setting. Above ISO 400, images exhibit more "grain-pattern" noise than the best D-SLRs, but image quality at all ISO settings is much better than with any other all-in-one digital camera I've used.

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